Kingston Jamaica (Mckoy’s News) – Speaking at the 2017 Sectoral Debate in Parliament on April 26, National Security Minister Robert Montague announced that July 1 will be the start date for the Government’s 60 Days traffic ticket amnesty however, drivers are asking if this will be enough to fix what they call a corrupted system.
Minster Montague said the amnesty will run for 60 days, to give motorists the opportunity to begin with a clean slate before the new Road Traffic Act is implemented.
In 2012 the government gave drivers a traffic ticket amnesty under then National Security Minister Peter Bunting, where drivers took advantage to clear their outstanding tickets accumulated before 2010. The six-month amnesty, which took effect on July 1, was for persons who were issued tickets before September 21, 2010.
At the last traffic ticket amnesty public passenger drivers came out with traffic tickets to the tune of 5 and 10 tickets racked up in one day; which they disputed as not possible and frivolous, while holding the print out of their current outstanding tickets, from the traffic headquarters in Kingston.
According to police there are drivers with current drivers license that have more that 1, 000 tickets with no penalty, even after they are arrested. Police confirm that bus operators have the most offences.
However, the government is stating that the ticket amnesty will allow drivers to begin fresh without having the large outstanding bills as penalties – when the new Road Traffic Act is implemented this year.
One driver (man who drives for a living) with large outstanding tickets, who did not want to be identified, disclosed to Mckoy’s News that when he gets a new ticket he is unable to pay for it because the money goes to the old tickets he had from years ago when he pays at the traffic office, and according to him that system makes it hard for him to keep his tickets current. He also said of the thousand plus tickets he is alleged to be owing, most of them are not legitimate tickets, he expressed strongly, shaking his head in a “no-no” motion. He claims he currently disputing these tickets.
He told our news reporter, ” Di system corrupt, cause di police dem wi stop yu just fi extort money, an when you nuh have it, dem give you ticket. An if you a driver then yu try and give it to dem, or you a go wind up wid plenty, plenty ticket a day till you can grease dem pocket. A just suh it set.” he lamented.
The driver said he is anxious for the the new ticket amnesty, saying it would definitely give him the break he long awaits, but says he would like the government to do something about cops who stop drivers just to demand money.
The government is currently owed billions in traffic tickets.